Circuit closing means for loom stop mechanism



May 2, 1939. R STEWART 2,156,408

CIRCUIT CLO$ING MEANS FOR LOOM STOP MECHANISM Filed April 22, 1958 7 mmm I 6 2/ 50554-4 5752/ 7,

Patented May 2, 1939 GHRCUIT CLOSENG MEANS FOR LOOM STOP MECHANISM Russel Stewart, (latawissa, Pa.

Application April 22,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to looms and more particularly to an improved means in the form of an attachment for stopping the operation of the loom when the quill or bobbin in a shuttle is substantially emptied of yarn or thread.

An object of this invention is to provide an attachment which is adapted to be combined with or connected to an electrically operated loom stopping means whereby an electric circuit to the loom stopping means may be completed through contact with the metal forming the core of a quill positioned in the shuttle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a circuit closing means of this kind which is set or cooked at each movement of the shuttle carrying box so that the bobbin in a shuttle will be permitted to have movement across the warp so that there will not be any loose ends between the opposite edges of the material.

A further object of this invention is to provide an attachment of this kind which may be secured to a loom using two movable boxes at one side thereof which is so constructed that the loom will be stopped when the shuttle reaches the opposite end of the lay in order that a new or filled quill may be inserted in the shuttle before the shuttle moves across the lay into the box at the opposite end of the lay.

In looms at present in operation there have been provided a number of stop mechanisms including what is termed a feeler for closing an electric circuit to an electrically operated stop mechanism, but such stop mechanisms are not ultimately set and tripped by movement of the shuttle box so that it is not infrequent for a shuttle to be moved through the lay in a partially emptied condition and then brought back to the box end of the lay completely emptied. The mechanisms heretofore available do not position the partially emptied quill in the most convenient position for refilling by the operator of the loom, and it is therefore, a general practice for the operator to start and stop the loom in order to position the emptied shuttle on the plain or opposite side of the lay from the box. This procedure frequently causes the end of the yarn to be positioned intermediate the sides or edges of the material, and in addition, causes additional delay in the operation of the loom due to the extra starting and stopping thereof to position the emptied shuttle on the plain side of the lay.

It is, therefore, a further object of this invention to provide a stopping means for a loom which is adapted to be connected to the usual 1938, Serial No. 203,683

electrically operated stopping mechanism, but which permits the final movements of the partially exhausted shuttle through the warp or lay in order to stop the machine when the shuttle is at the end of the lay opposite from the box or boxes.

To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will bemore specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a lay structure forming part of. a loom having a stop attachment constructed according to an embodiment of this invention mounted thereon,

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation of, a stop attachment constructed according to this invention,

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line l of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section of the upper end of the attachment showing the spring compressing plunger in latched position,

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line l-'! of Figure 2,

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 2, and

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 99 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l0 designates generally the frame structure of a loom at one end of the lay and the numerals H and i2 designate upper and lower shuttle boxes which are positioned at one end of the lay and are adapted to have vertical movement in guide means I3. The vertical movement of the shuttle boxes II and i2 is efiected by well known means and forms a part of a conventional loom structure known as the Two by One Loom wherein two movable boxes are positioned at one end of the lay and one box is positioned at the other end of the lay, this other end being known as the plain side of the lay.

In order to provide a means whereby the loom structure may be stopped when a quill or bobbin in one of the two shuttles operating through the warp has been substantially exhausted, I have provided a pair of contacts I l and H) which are adapted to be connected by means of wires l6 and I1 respectively to the electro-magnetic loom stopping means, the construction of which is well known and in itself forms no part of this invention. The contacts I4 and I5 are secured to an insulated strap or bar l8 which is secured to the lower end of a plunger rod l9. The rod i9 as shown in Figure 9 is substantially rectangular in transverse section and the insulated bar i8 is provided with a relatively long slot 23 in which the bar l3 engages. The bar l3 at the lower end thereof is provided with a nut 2! which engages the underside of the insulated bar 18 and the bar i8 is held against the nut 2| by means of a spring 22. The spring 22 is disposed about the plunger rod I9 and at its upper end engages against a plate or washer Zi which is fixed to the rod 19 below the cylinder or housing 23. The housing 23 is adjustably held on one arm 23 of a U-shaped bracket 25 by means of a clamp 26. The housing 23 is positioned at right angles to the length of the lay and is disposed in a position whereby the contacts [4 and i5 will project into a shuttle box and engage against the periphery of a quill or bobbin carried by a shuttle within the box.

A latch member or pawl 21 is pivotally secured on an outstanding bracket 28 secured to the housing 23 adjacent the lower end thereof and the bill 23 of the latch or pawl member 21 is adapted to engage in a slot 30 provided in the side of the housing or cylinder 23. The plunger rod i9 is provided interiorly of the housing or cylinder 23 with a plate 3i having a bevelled peripheral edge and this plate 3| is fixedly secured to the plunger rod l 9. The bill 29 is adapted when in latching position to engage beneath the plunger or plate 3| so as to thereby hold the contacts M and IS in their uppermost position. A spring 32 is disposed interiorly of the housing or cylinder 23 and at one end engages against the bottom or lower end of the housing and at its upper end engages against the underside of the plunger 3|. A second spring 33 is disposed within the housing 23 and at its lower end engages against the upper side of the plunger 3!. A cylindrical spring compressing piston 34 is slidable in the upper end of the cylinder 23 and a plate or top wall 35 is fixed at the upper end of the piston 34 and engages over the upper end of upper spring 33. Preferably, the spring 33 is relatively stronger than the spring 32 so that when the bill 29 is released the spring 33 will force the plunger 3! downwardly against the tension of the spring 32. The spring 32 acts as a means for initially moving the plunger 3| upwardly to a position on the upper side of the bill 29 of the latch member 2'! so as to initially cock or set the plunger 3|.

The pawl member 21 is provided with a right angularly disposed arm 35 and a link 3'! is pivotally secured as at 33 to the arm 36. The link 3? at its upper end is pivotally'secured as at 39 to a rock lever 33 which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pivot 3| carried by an outstanding bracket 32. A latch member 43 is pivotally secured at its lower end as at M to the opposite end of the rock lever 33 and a spring 45 engages about the pivot M and has one end thereof bearing against the latch member 63 so as to constantly urge the upper or latching end of the latch member 43 toward the upper end of the cylinder 23. The latch member 43 is slidable in a guide 60 and is provided with a bill 63 which when in latched position is adapted to engage the free end of a releasing lever 31. The releasing lever d? is provided at one end thereof with a detent or lug 48 engageable in a groove 53 provided on the underside of the bill 46.

The releasing lever 41 is pivotally secured intermediate the ends thereof on a pivot 5!] carried by an upstanding bracket or arm 5|. The lever ll as shown in Figure 8 is U-shaped in transverse section with the open side thereof lowermost and this lever ll is provided with a slot 52 through which the upper end of the plunger rod I3 loosely engages. The opposite end of the releasing lever ll is secured to an operating rod 53 and this rod 53 is secured at the opposite end thereof to the upper box H as shown in Figure 1.

A piston latching member 54 is pivotally secured as at 55 to a bracket 56 secured to the upper end of the cylinder or housing 23. The piston latching member 54 is provided with a bill 51 engageable over the upper end of the piston 3 3 as shown in Figures 2 and 6 so as to hold the spring 33 in tensioned position. The piston latching pawl 54 is provided with a lever or arm 53 which extends outwardly of the latching member 5A and engages between the parallel legs of the releasing lever 4'! as shown in Figures 2 and 8. The arm 58 is placed under tension by means of a spring 59 which is secured at one end to the bracket 5!. The spring 59 constantly urges the latching member 5@ to a latching position.

The hereinbefore described stop controlling means is shown in Figure l as the uppermost stop member secured to the upper bracket arm 24 of the U-shaped bracket 25. It will be understood, however, that the bracket member 25 is provided with a stop mechanism on the lower bracket arm 2 3 thereof which is similar in every detail to the hereinbefore described stop con trolling mechanism which has been described as associated with the upper box I I. The second stop controlling mechanism will be inverted and reversed from the hereinbefore described mechanism and includes briefly, an operating rod 53 which is secured at its upper end to the lower box l2 and at its lower end to a releasing lever 67 The releasing lever ll operates the releasing of the contacts through a releasing pawl 33 which in turn is operatively connected to a plunger holding pawl 21*.

In the use and operation of this stop controlling mechanism assuming that the boxes H and 12 are in the position shown in Figure 1, the

upper box H is in the shuttle receiving position. When the shuttle enters the box II, the two boxes H and 12 are moved upwardly and coincident with this upward movement the operating rod 53 will lower the lever d1 so as to move the piston 34 downwardly and compress the spring 33. Prior to the compression of the spring 33, the spring 32 will move the plunger 3! upwardly past the bill 29 so that the trigger or latch member 21 will be in latched position. At this time the contacts i l and l5 are in such a position that when the upper box H is in raised position the contacts M and I5 will project a slight distance into the upper box 1 l, and in the event the quill or bobbin carried by the upper box II is practically emptied, the contacts I4 and i5 will be spaced a short distance from the yarn or material on the bobbin or quill. After the upper box H has moved to its uppermost position and is then started downwardly with a shuttle in the lower box I2, the operating rod 53 will initially straighten out the linkage connecting the latch or trigger 21 with the latch member 43 so that the trigger or latch member 21 is swung to a released position thereby permitting the tension of the spring 33 to move the plunger 3| downwardly and effect engagement of the contacts l4 and I5 with the bobbin or quill disposed in the upper box H. In the event the material on the quill or bobbin is sumcient to prevent engagement of the contacts l4 and l5 with the metal core of the quill or bobbin the electrically operated stopping mechanism connected to the conductors l6 and I! will not be actuated. However, if the material on the quill or bobbin in the upper box I l is substantially exhausted so that when the spring 33 forces the contacts M and I5 downwardly against tension of the lower spring 32, the metal of the core forming the quill will bridge the two contacts Hi and I5 and thus complete the electric circuit to the electro-magnetic stop mechanism forming part of the conventional stop mechanism at present in use on looms. The box II will continue to move downwardly to a position where the shuttle is in alignment with the adjacent end of the lay and before the stop mechanism actually stops the machine, the shuttle in the box II will be moved over to the other or plain side of the lay at which time the stop mechanism will finally stop operation of the loom. In this manner the substantially exhausted quill or bobbin in the shuttle may at all times be replenished on the side of the machine opposite from the box, and it will not be necessary for the operator of the machine to start and stop the machine after the first automatic cut-oft" in order to position the shuttle and quill on the most convenient side of the machine for replenishing of the exhausted quill. The stopping means hereinbefore described has been described as associated with the upper box H, but as there are two boxes forming part of the loom, a similar stopping means is operatively connected to and associated with the lower box 12 being connected to the lower box I2 by means of an operating rod 53 which is connected to a compressing and releasing lever l! carried by the cylinder or housing 23*. The lever M acts on the same type of mechanism as the lever 1-! and pulls the latching member 43 downwardly so as to release the trigger or latching member 21 The stopping means associated with the lower box l2 operates in every detail in the same manner as the upper stopping mechanism, but operates reversely, that is, when the upper lever s! is being moved downwardly to a compressing position the lower lever ll is being moved downwardly to a released position. In the event there is some unevenness in the yarn winding or coils on the quill or bobbin the swinga'ble mounting for the insulated bar l8 will permit rocking of this bar US relative to the plunger rod l9.

After the contacts l4 and I5 have been moved downwardly into engagement with the bobbin and the box continues its downward movement, the outer end portion of the operating lever M will strike the lever or arm 58 of the piston latching pawl 54 so as to release the pawl 54 from the piston 34. When the piston 34 has been relased the spring 33 will move the piston 35 upwardly and at this time the lower spring 32 will return the plunger 31 to a set position on the upper side of the bill 29. In this manner the plunger 3| will be disposed in a position whereby downward rocking of the lever 41 on the return or upward movement of the box will compress the spring 33 and tension the plunger 3| against the bill 29. The contacts are thus disposed in a set or cooked position by the return movement of the box ll.

While the circuit closing device herein described has been shown as associated with what is known as a two-by-one loom, it may also be used with a two-by-tw loom, that is a loom having a pair of shuttle boxes at each end of the lay, and may also be used with what is known as an automatic loom. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the particular type of loom shown as the device is adaptable to various types or kinds of looms using an electrically operated stop mechanism.

What I claim is:

1. In an electrically operated stop mechanism for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box, a spring-pressed circuit closing means, means supporting said circuit closing means in the path of the movement of said box to an inactive position,

means connected to said box and said circuit closing means for tensioning said circuit closing means upon movement of said box to an inactive position, and means operatively connected .to said circuit closing means and said tensioning means for releasing said circuit closingmeans upon initial movement of said box to an active position.

2. In a loom provided with a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, a spring-pressed circuit closing means adapted to be connected to said stop mechanism, operating means connected to said box and said circuit closing means for tensioning said circuit closing means upon movement of said box to an inactive position, and releasing means operatively connected to said operating means for releasing the tension on said circuit closing means upon initial movement of said box to an active position.

3. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said attachment comprising a pair of spaced contacts engageable with the core of a substantially exhausted quill or bobbin, means constantly urging said contacts toward said quill or bobbin, means normally holding said contacts out of engagement with the quill or bobbin upon movement of said box to an inactive position, and means operable by initial movement of the box to an active position for releasing said holding means whereby said first means will move said contacts into engagement with said quill or bobbin,

4. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said attachment comprising tensionable circuit closing means disposed in a position for engagement with quill or bobbin in a shuttle positioned in said box, and means connected to said box and said circuit closing means whereby to tension said circuit closing means on movement of said box to an inactive position and to release the tension on said circuit closing means upon initial movement of said box to an active position.

5. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said attachment con1- prising a pair of spaced contacts engageable with a quill or bobbin positioned in a shuttle in said box, means operatively connected to said box and active on movement of the box to an inactive position to initially set said contacts and maintain said contacts in a position whereby said contacts will not engage the quill or bobbin on movement thereof in one direction, and means operatively connected to said first means and active on movement of said box to an active position whereby to unset said contacts and simultaneously move said contacts toward the quill or bobbin for engagement with the quill or bobbin.

6. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said attachment com prising a pair of spaced contacts adapted to be connected to said stop mechanism, means movably supporting said contacts relative to said box, means operatively connected to said box and actice on movement of the box to an inactive position to initially set said contacts in such a position that said contacts will be disposed substantially out of engagement with the quill or bobbin when the quill or bobbin moves to the limit of its movement to an inactive position, and means operatively connected to said second means and active on movement of the box to an active position to release said contacts and simultaneously move said contacts into engagement with the quill of bobbin to thereby close the circuit to said stop mechanism.

7. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said attachment comprising a pair of spaced contacts adapted to be interpose in the circuit of said step mechanism, means movably supporting said contacts relative to said box, means constantly urging said contacts out of engagement with the quill or bobbin when the box reached substantially the end of its movement to an inactive position, tension able means engaging said contacts, means operatively connected to said box and active on movement of the quill or bobbin to an inactive position for tensicning said tensionable means, and means operatively connected to said latter means and active on movement of the box to an active position for releasing said tensionable means whereby said tensionable means will move said contacts in the direction of the quill or bobbin within said box.

8. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said attachment cornprising a pair of spaced contacts adapted to be connected to said step mechanism, a stationary supporting member engageable with the frame of the loom, means connected to said contacts slidably engaging said supporting means for slidably supporting said contacts, means initially urging said contacts out of engagement with the quill or bobbin when the quill or bobbin has substantially reached the end of its movement to an inactive position, tensionable means engaging said contacts and said supporting means for tensioning said contacts for movement in the direction of the box, and means operatively connected to said box and active upon movement of the box to an active position for releasing said tensionable means for movement in the direction of the quill disposed in said box.

9. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said attachment comprising a pair of spaced contacts connected to said step mechanism, a housing, means fixedly supporting said housing relative to said loom in the path of the movement of said box, a plunger slidable in said housing, means securing said contacts to an end of said plunger, means constantly urging said plunger in one direction whereby to normally maintain said contacts out of engagement with a quill or bobbin disposed in said box, means constantly urging said plunger in the opposite direction toward said quill or bobbin in said box, releasable holding means engageable with said plunger, means connected to said box for tensioning said latter means, and means engageable with said tensioning means active on movement of the box in the opposite direction to release said holding means whereby said contacts will be moved in the direction of the quill or bobbin in the box.

10. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operating stop mechanism, said attachment comprising a pair of spaced contacts adapted to be connected to said stop mechanism, a cylindrical housing, means fixedly supporting said housing relative to said loom in a position confronting said box, a plunger slidable in said housing, a rod connecting said plunger with said contacts, a spring in said housing constantly urging said plunger longitudinally of said housing in one direction, a second spring in said housing constantly uring said plunger in the opposite direction, releasable holding means engageable with said plunger to hold said plunger against movement under the action of said second spring, means connected to said box for tensioning said second spring, means holding said second spring in tensioned position, and means active on movement of the box in the opposite direction engageable with said tensionable means whereby to release said holding means for movement of said plunger in the direction of the box to thereby engage said contacts with a quill or bobbin in said box.

11. A circuit closing attachment for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said attachment comprising a pair of spaced contacts adapted to be connected to said stop mechanism, a cylinder, means supporting said cylinder in a fixed position relative to said loom and in a position confronting said box, a plunger slidable in said cylinder, a rod secured to said plunger, means securing said contacts to said rod, a spring in said H cylinder engaging against one side of said plunger constantly urging said contacts away from said box, a second spring in said cylinder engaging the opposite side of said plunger for moving said contacts in the direction of said box, releasable holding means carried by said cylinder for holding said plunger against movement under the tension of said second spring, means connected to said box engageable with said second spring to tension said second spring upon movement of the box in one direction, releasable holding means for holding said second spring in tensioned position, and means carried by said cylinder engageable with said tensionable means, and said holding means and active on initial movement of the box in the opposite direction to release said holding means for movement of said plunger in the direction of said box to thereby engage said contacts with a quill or bobbin positioned in a shuttle carried by said box.

12. A circuit closing means for a loom having a pair of shiftable shuttle boxes and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said means comprising pairs of spaced contacts connected to said stop mechanism, means slidably supporting a pair of said contacts in a position adjacent the end of the movement of one box in one direction, means supporting the other pair of contacts adjacent the end of the movement of the other box in the direction opposite from the said first box, yieldable means for normally holding said contacts in an inoperative position, means normally urging said contacts in the direction of a box, releasable holding means for holding said contacts against the operation by said latter means, and means connected to said boxes for alternately releasing said contacts for movement in the direction of a confronting box upon initial movement of said confronting box in a direction away from a pair of contacts.

13. A circuit closing means for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box and an electrically operated stop mechanism, said means comprising a pair of spaced contacts adapted to be connected to said stop mechanism, a cylinder, bracket means fixedly supporting said cylinder adjacent the end of the movement of said boxin one direction, a plunger slidable in said cylinder, a rod fixed to said plunger axially of said cylinder and extending outwardly of at least one end thereof, means yieldably securing said contacts to the extended end of said rod, a spring in said cylinder engaging said plunger to constantly urge said contacts to an inoperative position, a second spring in said cylinder engaging against said plunger and operable to move said plunger in the opposite direction, releasable holding means for holding said plunger, against movement by said second spring, a spring tensioning lever, means pivotally securing said lever on said cylinder whereby said lever will tension said second spring upon rocking of the lever in one direction, means connecting said lever to said box for rocking of the lever upon movement of the box, releasable holding means for holding said second spring in tensioned position, and means carried by said cylinder engageable with said lever and said first holding means to release said first holding means upon initial movement of the box away from said cylinder, release of said first holding means efiecting movement of said contacts in the direction of said box under the tension of said second spring.

14. In an electrically operated stop mechanism for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box, a circuit closing means connected to said stop mechanism comprising a supporting member, a cylinder carried by said supporting member having an end confronting said box, a plunger slidable in said cylinder, a rod secured to said plunger and projecting out of the inner end of said cylinder, an insulated bar extending transversely of said rod, means slidably securing said bar on said rod, a spring constantly urging said bar in the direction of the end of said rod, a pair of spaced contacts secured to said bar and adapted to be connected to said stop mechanism, a pivoted pawl member, means securing said pawl member to said cylinder in a position for engagement with said plunger, a spring in said cylinder engaging against said plunger constantly urging said plunger inwardly of said cylinder, a second spring in said cylinder engaging against the opposite side of said plunger and urging said plunger outwardly against the tension of said second named spring, a spring tensioning lever, means pivotally securing 4 said lever on said cylinder adjacent the outer end thereof, an operating rod secured to said lever and said box to rock said lever upon movement of said box in each direction, means active on compression of said latter spring to hold said latter spring in compressed position, means pivotally carried by said cylinder connected to said pawl and disposed in the path of said lever for releasing said pawl upon rocking of the lever in one direction and means carried by said spring holding means engageable with said lever upon rocking of the lever in released position to release the tension of the said latter spring.

15. In an electrically operated stop mechanism for a loom having a shiftable shuttle box, a circuit closing means comprising a cylinder, means fixedly supporting said cylinder relative to said loom, a plunger slidable in said cylinder, a rod secured to said plunger and extending outwardly of the inner end of said cylinder, an insulated bar secured to said rod, a pair of spaced apart contacts carried by said bar and adapted to be connected to said stop mechanism, a spring interposed between said plunger and the inner end of said cylinder to constantly urge said plunger inwardly, a second spring in said cylinder engaging against the opposite side of said plunger and constantly urging said plunger toward said inner end, a plunger holding pawl, means pivotally securing said pawl to said cylinder, said cylinder having a slot through which said pawl engages, a lever, means pivotally securing said lever on said cylinder in a position whereby one end of said lever projects across the adjacent or outer end of said cylinder, a cylindrical slide member carried by said cylinder adjacent the outer end thereof and engageable against the said one end of said lever to compress said second spring upon inward rocking of said one end of said lever, an operating rod secured at one end to the opposite end of said lever and secured at the opposite end thereof to said shuttle box whereby to rock said lever to a spring compressing position upon movement of said box in one direction, a lever engaging pawl pivotally carried by said cylinder and engageable with said one end of said lever upon inward movement of said one end, obtusely disposed link means connecting said latter pawl with said first pawl, a spring holding pawl member pivotally carried by the outer end of said cylinder and holding said second spring in compressed position, and an extension carried by said spring holding pawl engageable with said lever to release said spring holding pawl upon outward rocking of said one end of said lever to thereby release said second spring.

RUSSEL STEWART. 

